Launch of QIPP clinical dashboard

The UK's Department of Health (DH) has announced the launch of the Urgent Care Clinical Dashboard – part of structural changes related to Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) healthcare plans.

According to the DH, the dashboard is a 'toolset developed to provide clinicians with the relevant and timely information they need to inform daily decisions that improve the quality of patient care'.

Real-time information concerning unscheduled local healthcare activity, such as emergency admissions, A&E attendances, and GP out of hours attendances, will be presented in a web browser application in what the DH describe as a 'graphical, user-friendly way'.

It is hoped simplified, easier access to this information will enable healthcare practices to more effectively manage and coordinate patient care, with vulnerable patients and people with long-term conditions a priority.

The dashboard has been developed at NHS Bolton as part of a pilot programme where it was seen to contribute to reductions in A&E attendances and non-elective admissions.

Following the success of the pilot, a 'pioneer stage' will commence at the end of January 2011. This aims to integrate the dashboard at ten sites across the country containing a number of GP practices. These dashboards are all expected to be live by the end of July 2011.

This stage will see an evaluation of the dashboard, with knowledge gained by NHS Bolton shared to develop regional capabilities and inform a strategy of how best to implement the programme on a national scale.

Wider use of the programme would then follow, with dashboards to be managed by PCT organisations or future GP consortia as outlined in the coalition government's reform plans.

Dr Anne Talbot, national clinical lead for the programme, has invited sites to submit interest in the pioneer stage with the closing date for submissions January 24, 2011.